Astley, it's a pretty well documented fact that areas of deprivation are not well served by the big/cheap supermarkets. Yes, there are such things as buses, and even taxi's - but they cost money. And someone who is on a very limited income can not afford to hop on a bus to take advantage of a 19p box of cornflakes.
Factor in the issue that single parents might have a baby or a toddler or two in tow - it makes it very difficult to take advantage of economy of scale/offers if you are transporting kids plus a weeks worth of shopping home on the bus.
This isn't woolly leftie liberalism, this isn't an argument plucked out of thin air - people in areas of deprivation are often locked in to buying food from more expensive smaller stores. This in turn means that people can't afford healthy options like fresh meat, fruit or vegetables. And it leaves them screwed if they run of out essential items before their next money is due.
In the same way that people are locked into prepayment meters for energy. it's more expensive than a direct debit - and if you run out of electricity on a sunday night, but your child benefit isn't due until Tuesday morning you can't make toast/porridge or boil an egg.
It is a fact that families (and thus children) are going hungry - look at the expansion of food banks over the past 12 months.
I think people typing away saying stuff like 'Breakfast is non negotiable' 'I can't believe that people can't afford breakfast' and 'let them eat 19p boxes of cornflakes' really don't have a grasp on the severe deprivation that increasing numbers of children are living in.
And if some lazy, busy parents take advantage of the free breakfasts, so what? We are allegedly a civilised society - surely we should applaud any initiative that seeks to feed hungry children.